Our vision and mission statement is an attempt to answer the question,
“why is the church here and why does it matter?”
The Diocese of Oxford has set the tone:
“We believe that a church is the community of God’s people, not the building. We believe that becoming more Christ-like is about who we are called to be, not what we’re called to do.”
The characteristics of a Christ-like church are described as contemplative, compassionate, and courageous. As we translate this ambitious vision into our life and ministry in this parish we seek to be:
Contemplative
- deepening our presence in this parish, serving as the spiritual heart of the community, providing space for prayer, and cultivating the gifts of faith, hope and love,
- coming together in worship that inspires and challenges us in our daily lives,
- nurturing the spiritual life of our congregation both individually and collectively, through prayer, formation (personal and communal), worship and witness.
Compassionate
- providing a safe space for all,
- continuing to be a place of openness, warmth and generosity that reflects the love and joy of our faith, welcoming and respecting people of all backgrounds at any stage of their faith journey,
- offering comfort and support in response to the needs of individuals and families in our community in their time of need.
Courageous
- building on the excellent relationship we have with the school,
- encouraging and equipping our members in their influence in the workplace and community life,
- exploring the creative use of our building for the whole community,
- engaging with those on the fringe of church life and exploring, with them, ways in which we can be more responsive to their interests and aspirations,
- playing our part in the wider deanery and ecumenical community of faith in West Oxfordshire, seeking new opportunities for us to learn from one another in our ministry and witness,
- helping our members understand the times in which we live and respond to the needs of our world in the love of Christ.